COMPOSIT A. 945 
sériin Western India. The plant is a common annual weed 
throughout India, appearing after the rains and flowering 
_ through the cold season; it is from 1 to 2-ft. in height, his- 
_ Pidly hairy, leaves petioled, ovate crenate, heads small, in 
dense terminal corymbs, bracts striate, acute, ray-florets many, 
pale blue or white, achenes black, pappus scales 5-awned, often 
_ Serrate below. (Fl. Br. Ind., iii., 243.) 
4 EUPATORIUM AYAPANA, Vent. 
; 3 Fig.— Vent. Hort. Malm. t. 8. 
Hab.—America, Cultivated in India. The herb. 
é Vernacular.—Ayapéna (Hind., Mar., Beng.), Ayap&ni(Tam., 
Tel.), Allapa (Guz.). 
: ; History, Uses, &c.—Ventenat found this plant grow- 
Cayenne; another species, perfoltatum, is considered as 
a febrifuge in America. The Ayapana has been cultivated in 
India for a considerable time. Ainslie says of it:—“ This small 
shrub, which was originally brought to India from the Isle of 
France, is as yet but little known to the native practitioners, 
though, from its pleasant, sub-aromatic but peculiar smell, 
_ they believe it to possess medicinal qualities. At the Mauri- 
tius it is in great repute, and there considered as alterative and 
antiscorbutic; as an internal remedy it has certainly hitherto 
much disappointed the expectations of European physicians, 
An infusion of the leaves has an agreeable and somewhat spicy 
taste, and is a good diet drink ; when fresh and braised, they 
_ re one of the best applications I know for cleaning the face of 
@ foul ulcer.” - (Mat. Ind. II., p. 35.) Mr. Dyer informed 
_ Ainslie that the plant was cultivated in the Island of Bourbon a 
for the purpose of being dried and sent to. France, where it 
_ Was used for making a kind of tea used es a substitute 
La 
oer 
